


You're the Exception

by telliefan (captainamergirl)



Category: One Life to Live
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 19:16:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6870106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainamergirl/pseuds/telliefan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John McBain didn't do "relationship stuff" but he would always make an exception for the love of one Marty Saybrooke. An AU Jarty one shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're the Exception

_She walked purposefully into the Llanview Police Station and headed directly over to John McBain's desk. He glanced up at her for a moment and then purposefully held a file up in front of his face. "Not interested in a head shrinking session today, Doctor."  
  
Marty set her briefcase on his desk and then yanked the file out of his hands. "Detective McBain, when are you going to figure out that the sooner you level with me, the sooner I'll just go away?"  
  
"Is that a promise?" John asked, glowering up at her.  
  
Marty sighed. "C'mon, let's just talk. I imagine by now you're pretty tired of pushing papers and would like to be back on active duty. The only way that's going to happen is if you stop avoiding me and all your issues and communicate with me. I'm not going to clear you for duty though until I see some improvement in your attitude."  
  
"Oh you don't like my attitude?" John glared at her. "That's really nice. You try watching your fiancée blown to smithereens before your very eyes, taking a bullet meant for you, dying in your arms, and then - and only then - can you lecture me about my fucking attitude."  
  
Marty nodded. "Well, Detective, you're finally showing some emotion. This could the beginning of a breakthrough for you."_  
  
That's really how it all began. There were a lot of stops and starts along the way, of course. He had seen his fiancée Evangeline take a bullet from a crazy man that had been meant for him and it ate at him. That he couldn't stop it. That he had arrived a second too late...  
  
However, his doctor knew a little something about loss too. Her husband had died in a horrible way as well and that loss bonded them somehow. But more than that, they slowly began to realize they enjoyed each other's company. They enjoyed the banter they shared and each started to notice that they felt a little more alive each time they saw each other.  
  
XoXoXo  
  
Ten months into their acquaintance they met up one night supposedly accidentally at Rodi's Bar and shared their first kiss.  
  
_Marty laughed when they pulled apart. John stared at her. "That's not the reaction I was hoping for."  
  
She laughed again. "It's not that ... It's just you're trying to bribe me, I am guessing."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"You want to be put back on active duty," Marty said.  
  
John smirked at her and lifted his beer to his lips, taking a long swig before turning back to face her. "If I wanted to bribe you, trust me, Doc, I'd try a lot harder than that."_  
  
The sex was inevitable and eagerly anticipated and it was great. No, the sex was amazing. It happened a mere two weeks after they shared their first kiss at Rodi's.  
  
As they lay tangled up in each other's limbs, Marty giggled again.  
  
_"Still not the reaction I was hoping for," John said, reaching out and stroking her cheek lightly._  
  
_"No, it's just you said you'd do a lot better than the kiss and you did."_  
  
_John nodded and his smile faded a bit as he became more serious. "You still think this is about bribery, huh?"_  
  
_Marty looked down for a moment. "I don't want to but ..."_  
  
_"Well, believe me when I say it's not. I don't just hop into bed with people. Not for that reason anyway," he joked with a twitching of his lips._  
  
_Marty turned to face him. "Why did you jump into bed with me then?"_  
  
_John shook his head. "Oh no. You don't get to head shrink me in my bedroom of all places."_  
  
_"Should we retire to the living room then?" Marty joked._  
  
_John nodded and leaned over and kissed her. "Yeah there are a lot of great surfaces in there to explore."_  
  
_Marty just laughed._  
  
_He eyed her. "You gotta stop doing that when I'm in the moment."_  
  
_"Well you told a joke," she said. "I can't believe it but you did."_  
  
_"Well you bring out that ... jokester side of me I guess," he said. "And again for the record, this ... thing ... It's never been about bribery."_  
  
_Then he climbed out of bed and grabbed her hand. "C'mon. The sofa is calling us," he said and pulled her to the living room._  
  
XoXoXo  
  
A year to the date of their first true breakthrough at the police station, John was finally back on active duty. He took Marty out to The Palace to celebrate and even put on a suit (though sans tie) to appease the dress code mongers there. Marty openly noted that he cleaned up well.  
  
"So do you," he said, looking her over appreciatively in her blue sleeveless number. "Real well in fact."  
  
Marty smiled and lifted her champagne flute. "To being back on active duty," she said.  
  
John clinked his glass. "And it only took twelve months too," he teased. "See if this was about bribery, I would have been back on the force full-time after two months. No, two weeks." He winked at her.  
  
Marty shook her head. "Confidant aren't we, Detective McBain?"  
  
"No, just trying to prove to you that this has never been about bribery or getting what I want. Cause the only thing I want is ... you..."  
  
Marty's eyes moistened with tears. John noted them and smiled a bit. "What - no laughter this time?"  
  
Marty shook her head. "No, John, not this time. I'm really touched..."  
  
"Is this the part where you say 'thanks but I don't feel the same way'?"  
  
She shook her head again and reached out and clasped his hands in her smaller ones. "No, it's where I say thanks ... I feel the same way but I just want to be sure -"  
  
"Sure I'm not bribing you? Are we still on that?"  
  
"No. I want to be sure you're not confusing appreciation with -"  
  
"Feelings?" John asked. "Give me more credit than that, Saybrooke. Please," he implored. "I know what I feel is real. After Evangeline I never thought I could feel this way again but I do. It's different though cause you're different than her in so many ways."  
  
"Yeah. She was beautiful and put together and amazing from all I've heard ..."  
  
John nodded. "She was, but you're beautiful and you're amazing too. You amaze me every day."  
  
A tear slid down her cheek. "Wow. You're saying all the right things but -"  
  
"But you're scared."  
  
Marty just nodded.  
  
"Well, Marty, don't tell my therapist but I am too," John said and squeezed her hands. "I've never been good at this ... relationship stuff. But I want to try. For you. Just know I will never hurt you or leave you."  
  
"You can't promise that...."  
  
John shook his head. "Nope. I'm here as long as you want me to be. So trust in that, okay? We can make it if you want to give it a try. Cause I do. I want to give it a try. I want you in my life always."  
  
Marty smiled then. "Me too, John. I want you to stick around for a good long time."  
  
John nodded. "Then that's settled. So there's only one thing left to do."  
  
Marty stared at him questioningly. "What's that?"  
  
"Seal the deal," he said. "Dance with me."  
  
"I thought you didn't dance."  
  
"I don't but for you I'll make an exception. For you I always will make an exception..."  
  
FINIS


End file.
